A Walk In The Woods
by TehNicksterBoi
Summary: Percy needs time to himself. He goes to the woods.


_"And I don't think, you see, the places inside me that I find you." –Rise Against, Roadside_

* * *

Percy picked his way through the woods that were at Camp Half-Blood. Besides canoeing, it was his favorite way to think about all the stuff that happened to him. He didn't exactly have an average life, and sometimes, you just needed to get away from it all. The weight of always having to do some near impossible task was getting to him. The war was going terribly, the Olympians were fighting with each other worse than ever, and Gaea grew in power each day. They were at least cooperating with the Romans, which seemed to be the only silver lining. Percy was especially glad for this. As of late, he had felt himself growing closer to Reyna. He didn't want to tell Annabeth, but he feared it was quite inevitable. Percy vaulted over a fallen tree and kept walking.

"Percy." A girl's voice seemed to have come from right behind him. Percy turned, but saw nobody.

"Who's there?" He asked. He turned around again, and standing there, was Reyna. Percy jumped.

"Gods, don't scare me like that! What brings you out here?" He said.

"The war. The gods. You." Percy looked at her.

"Me?" She nodded.

"We need to start planning if we're all going to get through this… who the hell am I kidding? Percy, come here." She grabbed him by the front of his camp shirt and pulled him in, holding him tightly. She began to cry softly into his shoulder.

"Whoa, hey Reyna, it's okay…" He awkwardly patted her back.

"It's not though… we all might die and I wouldn't get to tell you…" She said, as silent tears streamed down her face.

"Tell me what?" Percy asked. He looked down at her.

But she was gone. Percy leapt back in astonishment.

"Wh-what?" He stammered. There was nothing but trees, whispering to him and the babble of the creek as it flowed beside him. "I must be losing my head…"

He continued his walk, wondering what had caused his strange hallucination. Percy shook his head, and began sprinting through the woods. He jumped over logs, and dived under fallen trees, that were being supported by their fellows. He kept running until he tripped on a fallen branch. He went down, face first. He sat up, wincing. There was a gash in his cheek, and there was a little bit of blood dripping from it.

"Nice fall, Seaweed Brain." Percy turned instantly at the familiar voice.

"Annabeth." He said. She stood in a patch of sun, as she smirked at him.

"Quite a tumble you took there," She walked over, and offered her hand. He took it. "Alright, up you go…" She pulled him to his feet.

"So, what's got you free running in the woods?" She asked. He shrugged.

"I needed to be alone. I wanted time to think." He responded. She nodded. Being a daughter of Athena, thinking was her specialty.

"Think about what?" Percy averted his eyes. He didn't want her to see the lie.

"The war, the Romans." _One in particular._ He said that last part silently. Annabeth's eyes narrowed.

"You mean Reyna." Her voice cut the air like winter wind through a jacket. Percy looked at her.

"What? No…" His eyes relayed the truth.

"Perseus Jackson, don't you lie to me!" Annabeth shouted. She no longer sounded like herself, her voice had hardened into a mace. Percy shut his sea green eyes tightly.

"Reyna! I was thinking about Reyna!" He opened his eyes. Annabeth was gone. Percy slapped his head a couple of times. "This is getting out of hand…" he muttered. He continued his trek through the forest. He heard a couple of twigs snap, and then heard the low growl of one… no, two dogs. He turned around slowly, knowing what he would see. Aurum and Argentum were there, sparkling in the sun's rays. Reyna was standing in the middle of them. She seemed to not even be looking at him, but through him.

"Hello Annabeth." Reyna said coolly. Percy turned again, and sure enough, there was Annabeth.

"Reyna." Annabeth peered at her rival with undisguised hatred. Reyna just smirked.

"Sic her." She said to her dogs. The barked and sprung at Annabeth. The dogs hit her and (much to Percy's disbelief) disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Her body seemingly just transformed to wisps of air. Reyna looked at the spot where Annabeth had ben moments before.

"There. It's just us now." She said to Percy. She slowly approached him. Percy didn't back up. Reyna put her arms around his neck. Percy instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist. Reyna looked at Percy with wide eyes.

"Can I…I…?" She couldn't get the words out. Percy answered by kissing her. It was slow and sweet, their lips softly brushing against one another. Percy broke away first.

"Rey, this is wrong…" He said. She silenced him with another kiss. He broke away again. "I don't even know what's going on, is this real, or is this a dream?" He asked desperately.

"Well of course this is all inside your head. You're unconscious in the forest. You tripped and hit your head on a tree. But that doesn't mean this isn't real." She kissed him one last time.

* * *

Percy sat up, leaves flying off his previously inert body. He grimaced as he felt the bump on his head. It would be hurting for a couple of days. He took in his surroundings. Just as Reyna had said, he was in the woods, with nobody else around. That changed when Percy heard sticks and leaves being disturbed. He got to his feet. It was Reyna. The _real_ Reyna. She saw him.

"What're you doing out here?" She asked, her usual icy demeanor being displayed on her face. Percy walked over to her, and hugged her tight. Reyna froze in surprise, and then awkwardly put her arms around him.

"You alright Percy?" She asked softly. He looked at her with those eyes of his.

"Rey…" He began. She started. He had never called her Rey before. "I'm sorry about rejecting you… I've had a… let's call it a revealing experience. I think we were made for each other." She looked at him in shock.

"But, Annabeth…" She said.

"She doesn't need me, not really. She's happy as long as she's designing buildings for Olympus. She barely comes out of her trance when we're together, but you… you complete me." Without another word, he kissed Reyna.

And to Reyna's surprise she kissed back. She had been right. From the moment she had laid eyes on that son of Poseidon, to her, son of Neptune, she knew they were meant for each other. She'd been crushed when he denied her offer back in Camp Jupiter, but she knew now, that everything would be alright, as long as she had Percy.

* * *

**Hey everyone. It's been a little while, but don't worry, I am writing once again. I was GOING to do the second chapter of Better Times, but this idea kind of popped into my head, so… yeah… don't hate me. XD I walk in the woods whenever I feel emotional or pissed, so forests are kind of therapeutic for me. That's where this idea came from. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this, and have a good rest of your day/night. Bye!**


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